CHICAGO – Potter & Potter Auctions‘ October 20 Fine Books and Manuscripts sale realized nearly $1.1 million. The auction presented once-in-a-lifetime selections, including a fine collection of materials with provenance to the great explorers of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Books and ephemera with direct ties to notable adventurers took several of the top lot slots at the October 20 sale, chief among them a copy of Robert Browning’s Poetical Works given to Ernest Shackleton. Estimated at $40,000-$60,000, it delivered $96,000. This example was presented to Shackleton and the officers of the Nimrod by a member of the Royal Geographical Society. Shackleton took this book on his famous expedition and stated he had it “in the hut under the Polar night.”
In addition, a photograph postcard signed by Shackleton realized $16,800 against an estimate of $1,500-$2,500. This unused, glossy postcard depicted a three-quarter view portrait of the explorer in formal attire and was signed “E.H. Shackleton.” The image was taken in London by John Thomson and John Newlands in 1908.
Photograph postcard signed by Ernest Shackleton, $16,800
Important signed, first edition and presentation copy books caught the interest of buyers worldwide. Most notably, a signed copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses made $45,600. This example was the first English edition printed in England, a limited issue, and was one of 100 copies on mold-made paper signed by Joyce.
Another standout was a signed first edition limited issue of Aleister Crowley’s The Winged Beetle, which earned $26,400 against an estimate of $10,000-$15,000. It was privately printed in London in 1910. This example was number 1 of 50 from a total edition of 350 and was Crowley’s personal copy. It was heavily annotated in his hand including 39 poems with notes identifying where and when he wrote the poem and to whom it was about.
Signed first edition limited issue of Aleister Crowley’s ‘The Winged Beetle,’ $26,400
Also, an early edition of Jack London’s The Call of the Wild realized $13,200. It was published in New York by The Macmillan Co. in 1905. This example was inscribed by London presumably to the political activist Emma Goldman: “Dear Emma – never mind the new San Francisco; here’s to the new library. Affectionately yours, Jack London. Glen Ellen, Calif. June 15, 1906.” The inscription references the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that destroyed most of the city, including the Cecil H. Green Library at Stanford University.
Rounding out the highlights was The Poems of William Shakespeare, published in Hammersmith by William Morris for the Kelmscott Press in 1893. Estimated at $12,000-$15,000, it attained $16,800. This exquisite example was bound in leather and elaborately decorated with pontille design gilt, tan levant endpapers, hand-marbled endpapers and top edge gilt. It came with its original full green niger folding box decorated with matching Art Nouveau lettering.
[av_button label=’Click to view the auction catalog complete with prices realized’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ link=’manually,https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/261774_fine-books-and-manuscripts-including-americana/?keyword=&page=1′ link_target=’_blank’ size=’small’ position=’center’ label_display=” title_attr=” size-text=” av-desktop-font-size-text=” av-medium-font-size-text=” av-small-font-size-text=” av-mini-font-size-text=” margin=” margin_sync=’true’ padding=” padding_sync=’true’ av-desktop-margin=” av-desktop-margin_sync=’true’ av-desktop-padding=” av-desktop-padding_sync=’true’ av-medium-margin=” av-medium-margin_sync=’true’ av-medium-padding=” av-medium-padding_sync=’true’ av-small-margin=” av-small-margin_sync=’true’ av-small-padding=” av-small-padding_sync=’true’ av-mini-margin=” av-mini-margin_sync=’true’ av-mini-padding=” av-mini-padding_sync=’true’ color_options=” color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ btn_color_bg=’theme-color’ btn_custom_grad_direction=’vertical’ btn_custom_grad_1=’#000000′ btn_custom_grad_2=’#ffffff’ btn_custom_grad_3=” btn_custom_grad_opacity=’0.7′ btn_custom_bg=’#444444′ btn_color_bg_hover=’theme-color-highlight’ btn_custom_bg_hover=’#444444′ btn_color_font=’theme-color’ btn_custom_font=’#ffffff’ btn_color_font_hover=’white’ btn_custom_font_hover=’#ffffff’ border=” border_width=” border_width_sync=’true’ border_color=” border_radius=” border_radius_sync=’true’ box_shadow=” box_shadow_style=’0px,0px,0px,0px’ box_shadow_color=” animation=” animation_duration=” animation_custom_bg_color=” animation_z_index_curtain=’100′ hover_opacity=” sonar_effect_effect=” sonar_effect_color=” sonar_effect_duration=’1′ sonar_effect_scale=” sonar_effect_opac=’0.5′ css_position=” css_position_location=’,,,’ css_position_z_index=” av-desktop-css_position=” av-desktop-css_position_location=’,,,’ av-desktop-css_position_z_index=” av-medium-css_position=” av-medium-css_position_location=’,,,’ av-medium-css_position_z_index=” av-small-css_position=” av-small-css_position_location=’,,,’ av-small-css_position_z_index=” av-mini-css_position=” av-mini-css_position_location=’,,,’ av-mini-css_position_z_index=” id=” custom_class=” template_class=” av_uid=’av-8uoygdw’ sc_version=’1.0′ admin_preview_bg=”]
View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/
